Last week, KMA and the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care’s Small STEPS, Big Impact campaign accepted the 2026 American Association of Medical Society Executives (AAMSE) Profiles of Excellence Award for Communications during the 2026 AAMSE Annual Meeting. I felt an overwhelming sense of pride, not just because our campaign had received national recognition, but because the award truly belongs to Kentucky physicians.
Small STEPS, Big Impact has demonstrated what is possible when physicians are given the chance to educate, advocate, and lead. The campaign was built on a simple idea: improving Kentucky’s health doesn’t always require dramatic change. Instead, small, sustainable steps (supported and guided by physicians) can have a major impact on individuals, families, and communities.
When KMA Immediate Past-President Dr. Evelyn Montgomery Jones launched this initiative, she challenged us to think differently about our role as physicians. We are not only caregivers. We are educators, advocates, and trusted voices in our communities. That vision became the foundation of a campaign that has now reached millions of Kentuckians through digital advertising, television, public service announcements, social media, podcasts, and continuing medical education.
The campaign also showcased something I believe has always been one of KMA’s greatest strengths: our members and their willingness to lead. Twelve STEPS Physician Ambassadors volunteered their time to complete media and public speaking training prior to the campaign’s launch. They then appeared on television, helped design educational events, created videos for social media, and guided Kentuckians to practical, evidence-based health information that empowered them to make healthier choices.
Together, those efforts generated a total of more than 4 million digital advertising impressions, engaged hundreds of physicians through educational programming, and connected thousands of Kentuckians with trusted health resources through our website, SmallSTEPSKy.org. More importantly, they reinforced the physician’s role as one of the most trusted sources of health information at a time when misinformation continues to challenge public confidence.
This achievement would not have been possible without the partnership of the Kentucky Foundation for Medical Care and the generous support of the Kentucky Department for Public Health. I also want to thank every physician ambassador and KMA member who contributed their time and talent to this initiative.
As this campaign comes to a close, I believe its legacy will continue. I am so proud of the content we created, the conversations we started, and the confidence physicians gained in sharing their expertise with the public. I know this initiative will continue to benefit Kentucky for years to come.
The AAMSE award is a tremendous honor, and it would not have been possible without you. Thank you for your membership in KMA and all you do to improve the health of Kentucky every day.